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In the entire Saint Seiya series, it would be hard to find anyone with as much potential as Seiya and the others.
Mika had first sent them to Dohko at the Five Ancient Peaks to master the Seventh Sense, then, upon their return, had them train with the other Gold Saints, even having them participate in their duels.
And now, he was taking them to battle Poseidon.
All of this was to prepare them for the future.
Once they had fully realized their potential, they wouldn't just be assets in the Holy War against Hades but could even prove useful in his future battles in other worlds. He had high hopes for them.
With their addition, Sanctuary's expeditionary force now consisted of twelve Seventh Sense-level warriors.
Against the current Sea Realm, it was an overwhelming force.
Kanon, who was secretly manipulating Poseidon, likely had no idea he was about to face such a powerful army.
"I'll leave Kanon to Seiya." Mika, recalling Kanon's fate in the original story, couldn't bring himself to kill him.
A man with this talent and conviction didn't deserve to die as a little Sea General—and facing Seiya might be the catalyst for his redemption.
Besides, with Seiya now being Saga's student, he had even more reason to confront Kanon.
If Saga were to face Kanon, he might not be able to hold back. After all, he had been willing to die to eliminate his own evil side. What would he do to the brother who had corrupted him?
Saga had imprisoned Kanon in the sea, intending for him to die there. If not for Athena's Cosmo, he would have perished. Kanon, however, was unaware of this act of mercy.
It was Kanon's influence that had awakened Saga's evil side, leading him down a path of regret and atonement. He was still paying for his past sins.
In his current state, Mika doubted Saga would spare his brother. He had been merciful once, and it had nearly destroyed Sanctuary. He wouldn't make the same mistake twice.
"Kanon deserves a second chance." Mika's memories of Kanon were far more favorable than those of Saga.
During the Hades arc, Kanon had been a true pillar of strength, a warrior who had fought to the very end. Even facing death, he had sent his Gold Cloth to Saga, then, without any protection, had taken one of the three Underworld Judges with him, sacrificing his life to create an opening for the others.
And even in death, his soul had returned to Saga's side, their combined Cosmo shattering the Wailing Wall.
Kanon, in his final moments, had been a true hero.
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"Your Holiness, please, allow me to deal with Kanon. I will bring you his head and cleanse the stain he has left on our honor." Saga, after the other Gold Saints had departed, approached Mika, his voice filled with a quiet determination.
"No," Mika said firmly. He had anticipated this. He wouldn't let Saga kill Kanon.
"Saga, I understand your desire for atonement, but don't let it consume you. You're an Eighth Sense Gold Saint, clad in a God Cloth bestowed by Athena. Your place is on a grander stage, against a more worthy opponent. Kanon, while the mastermind behind the current conflict, is only a Seventh Sense Saint. There are others who can face him. Besides, once we confront Poseidon, his role as a manipulator will be irrelevant. He's not worthy of your attention. Your battle is against Poseidon himself."
Mika's words, a carefully crafted combination of praise and strategic reasoning, finally swayed Saga.
"Forgive my impulsiveness, Your Holiness," Saga said, bowing his head in apology.
Mika was right...
With his power, his responsibilities were far greater. He had been so focused on his own guilt, his own desire for redemption, that he had lost sight of the bigger picture.
"I understand, Saga. You only wanted to atone for your past mistakes, and Kanon is a painful reminder of those mistakes. There's no need for apologies," Mika said gently, helping him to his feet.
Saga, moved by his understanding, was filled with a renewed sense of gratitude. "Thank you, Your Holiness."
"Don't mention it. And since we're on the subject, I have a mission for you."
"Please, command me!"
"We're going to attack the Sea Realm. But we can't simply launch a surprise attack. That's not our style. It's not honorable. And it wouldn't be efficient," Mika said, a subtle smile playing on his lips.
"We can't be certain that all of our enemies are currently in the Sea Realm. Their leader, Poseidon, in his human vessel, is a wealthy tycoon. And his Sea Generals, too, might be elsewhere. Therefore, I need you to deliver a message to Kanon, a declaration of war. That should give them enough time to gather their forces."
"I understand." Saga's eyes lit up. With all their enemies gathered in one place, they could be eliminated in a single, decisive battle.
"And try not to reveal your identity to Kanon," Mika added with a smirk.
"Yes, Your Holiness." Saga, his earlier frustration gone, was now filled with a renewed sense of purpose. He no longer cared about personally defeating Kanon. He had a more important role to play.
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Mika quickly penned a letter to Poseidon. He recounted Poseidon's actions in Asgard, his attempt to manipulate the God Warriors, and declared his intention to attack the Sea Realm in retaliation.
He had no respect for the Sea God.
He suspected that Poseidon, upon reading the letter, would be enraged, perhaps even awakening from his slumber.
After all, Poseidon had always desired to conquer the surface world. Mika's challenge might be exactly what he was waiting for.
"I doubt Poseidon will be able to resist this tempting offer," Mika said, handing the letter to Saga. "He might even launch his own attack against us."
"The Sea God is no match for you or Athena, Your Holiness. Victory is already ours," Saga declared, taking the letter. However, he hesitated, his gaze lingering on Mika.
"Is there something else you wish to ask?" Mika said.
"Yes. Who will you be sending to deal with Kanon? Aiolia?"
Mika had anticipated this question. Saga, despite his earlier declaration, was still concerned about his brother.
Of the Gold Saints accompanying Mika on this expedition—Mu, Shaka, and Saga himself were Eighth Sense Saints.
The remaining three were Aiolia, Airmid, and Mellie. While Airmid and Mellie, having only recently arrived, were still developing their Cosmo, their strength wasn't yet comparable to Kanon's.
That left only Aiolia. Having reached the peak of the Seventh Sense, and even touching upon the Eighth, he was the most suitable candidate.
"You still can't let it go, can you?" Mika chuckled. It was a brother's love, after all, a bond not easily broken.
"I'm sending Seiya and the others to face him."
"Seiya? But…" Saga was surprised. He had forgotten about them.
After all, they were Bronze Saints, their power, in his eyes, insignificant compared to that of a Gold Saint.
But then he remembered: They were no longer average Bronze Saints. He had been training them himself, witnessing their growth firsthand. They were practically Gold Saints in Bronze Cloths.
And since Mika's council hadn't included them, Saga had assumed they weren't participating in this expedition.
"Seiya and the others... they are a good choice," Saga murmured, his earlier apprehension fading.
He turned to leave. "I'll deliver this letter to Kanon immediately."
"There's no rush. You can wait a bit," Mika said with a mischievous grin.
"No, I must go now," Saga replied, his pace quickening, though he didn't transform into light. "I need to intensify Seiya's training before our departure. He must be ready."
Saga understood Mika's intentions.
He was using Kanon as a stepping stone for Seiya's growth. And as his mentor, it was his duty to ensure Seiya was prepared. He would train him relentlessly, pushing him to his limits.
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"I can already see Seiya's suffering…" Mika chuckled, a wave of schadenfreude washing over him.
"Isn't this your fault?" Mellie's voice interrupted his thoughts. She had emerged from behind a pillar, where she had been observing their conversation. "To take such pleasure in his misery…you truly are a cruel man."
"Don't be dramatic, Mellie," Airmid said, joining them. "Mika is only teasing them."
"Yes, yes, of course," Mellie replied with a sigh, rolling her eyes at Mika, who simply shrugged, feigning innocence.
"You three are quite the lively bunch," Yahweh said, emerging from the Athena Temple, a smile on her face.
This familiar scene, Mika, Mellie, and Airmid's playful banter, reminded her of their time in Orario.
'Coming to the lower world was the best decision I ever made,' Yahweh thought, joining them.
"Lively? You four are the ones causing all the commotion," Athena chuckled, joining their conversation.
They exchanged smiles, their earlier tension dissipating.
"Alright, alright, that's enough. We're all lively," Airmid said, skillfully changing the subject.
She knew that if they continued, their playful banter would quickly devolve into a more serious debate about who was the most "lively"—a term that, in their circles, was often used to mean "foolish."
And no one wanted to be called a fool...
"Indeed. Let's focus on the matter at hand," Mika said, eager to move on. In a battle of wits, he was no match for these three.
"By the way, is Alfia not participating in this expedition?" Airmid asked, her curiosity piqued.
"No, she'll be staying here, to guard Sanctuary. Besides, she's connected to me. I can share my senses with her, allowing her to experience the battle firsthand."
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